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Recent PFO closure Have a question?

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Posted 7/13/2011 7:47 PM (GMT -7)
Hi I'm a male 47, who had Pfo closure 2 weeks ago, after a stroke 5 weeks ago. I was very lucky to get away with just minor numbness in my arm. the Doctors said I had a big episode, where something went like a shotgun across my brain, this was there description. I have no prior health issues, in very good shape and I believe they have done tests and say I am not a person that gets Clots, It was definitly the hole in my heart, The surgeon said the hole was so big it was swinging open like a trap door and said that instead of a clot it could have been air Bubbles?

O.K. now Here's my question, the Cardiologist says I will be on Plavix and 325 asprin for next 3 Mo. then just 3 more months of asprin 325 until my pfo closure has healed total (6 mo.), and then I believe baby asprin I think he said for the rest of my life.
Does this seem like the normal treatment? I hope so (I do not like the Idea of being on blood thinners like Plavix for the rest of my life, I was lead to believe that I had this closure surgery to avoid Taking major Blood thinners for the rest of my life.
Posted 7/20/2011 3:14 PM (GMT -7)
I had a PFO closure in Dec. 2007, and I just took plavix and asprin for 6 months. I've been on 325 mg aspirin ever since, and proably will stay on it for life due to the stroke. I was fortunate also, and have no lasting affects from my stroke. However, I am having some issues with my heart possibly, which I incurred after my PFO closure. Just recently I found out my EKG is abnormal. No one had told me this before, but it doesn't match the EKG reading I had before the PFO procedure. My primary dr tells me not to worry, that it is ok, and normal for me, but I'm still concerned. Especially since I think I feel a little different at times, like feeling my heart beat a time or two, and having some twinges of slight pain in different places. I've had major tests and have been told I'm ok in the past years. No tests in about 2 years. I was wondering if anyone else has had any side affects after the PFO closure.
Posted 7/20/2011 6:11 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks for your answer murraypl, Sorry to hear about your 3yr closure problem, I'm no expert
but 2 yrs the implant should have grown into the heart by now. Do you exercise (cardio)? I believe the
latest I read on this forum were 3 mo. or 1 yr had similar problems, I hope you get answers soon, will
follow your posts, I'm interested in the answer too.
Posted 7/5/2012 11:39 AM (GMT -7)
I'm a 67 year old male in good health. I had a pfo closure in February of 2008 at Boston's Children's Hospital after 3 TIA strokes. No problems until a week ago when I experienced a light throb in my heart followed by a little tingling in the right hand fingers. Took two aspirins right away. Been OK till an hour ago when I experienced about the same thing. Took two aspirins and here I am with no other side effects so far, except for slight tingling in fingers. The only other problem this past couple of weeks has been loose bowels.
Posted 7/6/2012 8:17 AM (GMT -7)
I left out one very important symton from yesterday's post. The first one (last) week I experienced a slight dizzyness that lasted .5 seconds but caused me to react, catching myself. Happened twice within 5 minutes. After that a slight pain in the head and then followed by minor tingling in both hands. Took two aspirin right away as well after the episode yesterday. Sounds like a mild TIA stroke with a slight clot in the brain.
Posted 7/6/2012 9:56 AM (GMT -7)
rtflanny,

If you suspect you are having any type of neurological event see your Dr. immediately.  Remember transient ischemic attacks (TIA) are neurological deficits of sudden onset and equally sudden reversal. They are considered to be precursors of stroke that (still) have a good prognosis.

When a TIA is suspected, the following examinations are mandatory: neurological ultrasound, blood pressure, ECG, laboratory examinations (blood sugar, blood count, hematocrit), CT or MRI, Doppler-ultrasonography of the carotids and, where indicated, transcranial Doppler.

Be your own best advocate and get checked out by a physician.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 7/9/2012 6:29 PM (GMT -7)
I am a 52yo female with a history of TIA. 7 years ago, I had a large pulmonary AVM embolized ( it took 3 tries to get is totally closed). After following me for the last 7 years through transcranial doppler studies, it was discovered that there were bubbles going to my head again. I was scaled a 3 out of 5 with 5 being the worst. After performing a echo with bubble study, I discovered I have some sort of right to left shunt in my heart. The weird thing is that they looked for a PFO extensively 7 years ago with echo and TEE and did not find anything. As I understand it, a PFO is something you are born with. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? I am having another TEE in a couple of weeks to confirm the shunt.
Another thing, I frequently experience chest pain with an immediate headache following and pain up the side of my neck. Sometimes I get some pain down my left arm for a few seconds. When I told my doctor, she said those symptoms have never been reported with the AVM, but then my AVM was very large and quite unusual. Do PFO's cause these symptoms? I am so confused and rather concerned. I hate being an 'interesting' case.
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